Adjustable table



April 9, 1966 G. c. BALLAS 3,246,612

ADJUSTABLE TABLE Filed Dec. 11, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l George C. BallasINVENTOR.

A TTORNEY April 19, 1966 G. c. BALLAS 3,246,612

ADJUSTABLE TABLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 8

65b 69 65a 67 55 57 65 67 57a 7 57a 57 7/0 H 69 65 66 mi?" k 66 70 um! 7J fl FIG. 9 FIG. IO

George C. Ba/Ias INVENTOR %g c M FIG. I!

ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,246,612 Patented Apr. 19, 19663,246,612 ADJUSTABLE TABLE George Charles Ballas, 5614 Almeda, Houston,Tex. Filed Dec. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 329,679 4 Claims. (Cl. 1086) Thepresent invention relates to an adjustable table and more particularlyto a table which may be adjustable to any desired height, angle ofinclination or rotated in any horizontal direction.

The subject invention is designed primarily for use by bed-riddenpatients and permits the performance of many tasks by a recumbent orsemi-recumbent person which tasks have heretofore been extremelydifficult if not impossible under such conditions. In addition, suchdevice has proven to be especially practical for persons aggravated byback and/or neck strain resulting from long hours of standing orsitting. It has been shown that such a person utilizing the subjectadjustable table while working in an incumbent position can actuallyincrease work output, primarily due to the added comfortand relaxationafforded.

Some of the many tasks that can be performed from a horizontal orsemi-recumbent position are as follows:

typing can be easily and comfortably executed; many business machinessuch as adding machines, posting machines and calculators can easily andquickly be secured to the table and utilized; heavy books mayconveniently be supported; and drawing and oil painting may easily beperformed.

Additionally, the table may conveniently be used as a desk, a draftingtable, a work bench, a display board, an easel, a hospital table and/ ordesk or as a utility table.

Furthermore, the novel adjustable table makes available to the user manypieces of furniture that would not ordinarily be used in the home butwhose occasional use would be beneficial, as for example, a typewriterstand, a drafting table or a hospital table.- The cost of these separatepieces of furniture would be prohibitive and their space requirements donot ordinarily justify their individual purchase.

The subject invention is designed for convertibility, mobility,adaptability and portability and provides many useful functions bothindoors and outdoors, in home and office, hospitals and rest homes andschools and institutions.

An object of the present invention 'is the provision of an adjustabletable which may conveniently be adjusted to any desired angle ofinclination and includes means whereby heavy articles may be securedwhen the table surface is inclined.

Another object is to provide such an adjustable table which includesadditional storage space.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an adjustabletable which may conveniently be assembled and disassembled.

Still another object is to provide an adjustable table having top andbottom table surfaces which may be utilized for different purposes.

A still further object is the provision of a table including meanswhereby at least one caster of said table may be locked in positionpreventing movement of said table.

Afinal object of the present invention is the provision of an adjustabletable which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, easyto use and universal in its adaptability.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art-as the disclosure is made in the followingdetailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention asillustrated in the accompanying sheets of drawing in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, perspective view of the upper, rear portion ofthe device.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the upper portion of the device.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view through a portion ofthe table surface.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, perspective view, partly in section, of amodification to the table surface.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the lower, central plane ofthe device.

FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a modification of theinvention.

FIG. 8 shows a transverse sectional view through the upper, centralportion of the device.

FIG. 9 shows a side elevational view, partly in section, through acaste-r of the subject invention with the caster free to rotate.

FIG. 10 shows a side elevational view, partly in section, through acaster with said caster locked in position; and

FIG. 11 shows a top'plan view, partly in section, taken on the line11-41 of FIG. 10, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,there is shown in FIG. 1, which illustrates a preferred embodiment, anadjustable table 20 including an integrally formed, essentially U-shapedbase 21 provided with casters 22 so that the table may conveniently bemoved from place to place. Commercially available casters may beutilized in a conventional manner or the casters of FIGS. 9-ll,hereinafter to be described in detail, may be utilized. An upstandingcollar 23 is secured in the approximate center of the top surface of theweb portion 21a of the base 21, said collar includes a female threadedportion (see FIG. 6) which accommodates a set screw 24 or the like. Atubular extension 25 slidably inserts into said collar and is securedthereto by means of set screw 24 bearing against the lower side wallportions of extension 25; the upper portion of extension 25 includes afemale threaded portion into which inserts set screw 26. A cylindricalmember 27 (see FIGS. 1 and 6), either tubular or rod, slidably insertsinto extension 25 and is adjustably secured at any desired height bymeans of set screw 26.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings, the base 28a of anessentially L-shaped bracket 28 is secured in a conventional manner tothe upper end portion of member 27 in such a manner that the downwardlydepending portion 28b is spaced inwardly with respect to the side wallportions of said member 27. A piece of material 29 having frictionalproperties, such as rubber or the like, is afiixed to the innermost sideof portion 28b by means of a commercially-available adhesive.

A circularly shaped disk 30, preferably of metal, plywood or the like,is pivotally mounted to member 27 as by means of a bolt 31 (see FIG. 3)passing through the bore 32a of a shaped spacer 32 and through bore 27ain member 27. A washer 33 is placed on the bolt and nut 34 is threadedthereon. Spacer 32 preferably is of hard rubber or plastic and includesa convex outer surface which bears against the side wall portions ofmember 27.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 and 3, a cross bar 35, rectangular insection, is mounted substantially below bore 27a, said bar inserts intoa recess 27b in the member 27 and is secured thereto as by means of abolt 36 and nut 37 threaded thereon. Spacers 38, preferably of rubber,are secured to the innermost, end portions of said bar 35 and bearagainst the outer surface 30b of disk 30 as will hereinafter bedescribed in detail.

A table 39 of any desired shape or configuration is attached to theinner surface 30a of said disk. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention L-shaped brackets 40 are secured to the undersurface 39b oftable 39 and the lower, inner surface 30a of disk 30, respectively, in aconventional manner. It is obvious that the table may be rotated to anydesired angle of inclination and is maintained in such positionprimarily by the weight of said table. The upper, inner surface 30a ofdisk 30 bears against material 29 on portion 28b of the bracket; thelower, outer surface 30b of the disk bears against spacers 38 secured tothe cross bar 35.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1 the table 39 may include a plurality ofrecessed portions 39c of any desired shape or size in the upper surface39a thereof. As best seen in FIG. 4 of the drawings, a rectangularlyshaped member 41 is secured as by means of screws 41g or the like in arectangular recess 39d in the upper surface of the table. The member 41includes top, bottom and side wall portions, 41a41d, respectively; anelongated slot 41a is provided parallel to the longitudinal axis of thetable, said slot is expanded at each end into a circularly shapedportion 41 A ball 42, preferably of hard rubber or plastic, inserts intosaid portion 41 and is secured at any desired position in the channelformedby portions ilo-41a. The ball 42 further includes two parallelbores 42a passing therethr'ough; a thong 43 or the like is passedthrough said bores and is secured as by tieing the end portions togetheror by knottingeach terminal portion. The loop 43a formed by said thong43 passes through the slot 41c as best seen in FIG. 4 and mayconveniently be passed around the legs or feet on the base of atypewriter or other piece of office equipment thereby securing theequipment to the table. One edge of the table may include an upstandingedge 44 whereby pencils, books, or the like may be held.

Referring again to FIG. 4 of the drawings, the brackets 40 secured tothe lower surface 39b of the table may conveniently be positioned inelongated recesses 39c, said brackets being secured to the table as bywood screws 45 or the like. In such construction the lower surface 39bof the table is absolutely fiat and may be covered by a sheet of vinyl,Formica or any other composition material 46 whereby either surface ofsaid table may be utiliZed depending upon the desired use.

In FIGS. 1 and 6 of the drawings there is shown a. bin 47 which may bemounted on the member 27. A collar 48 is secured at any desired positionon member 27 as by means of set screw 49. The base 47a of the bin bearsagainst the upper end 48a of the collar and is supported thereby. Thebin consists of a central tubular member 47b into which member 27inserts; the annularlyshaped base 47a is secured to the lower end ofsaid member 47b and the side wall portions 47c, respectively. Anydesired number of vertically-extending partitions 47d (see FIG. 1) maybe placed in said bin and secured to the sides, bottom or tubularmember, heretofore described. The bin 47 may conveniently be removedfrom member 27 and it is to be understood that the preferred embodimentof the invention is not restricted to the use of such bin.

There is shown in FIG. a modification of the outer portion of the table39. In this embodiment of the invention a leaf 50 pivotally attaches tothe table as by means of a piano-type hinge 52 or the like. The leaf maybe folded down while not in use and retained in a recessed portion 39fin the upper surface of the table. A plate 53 including a semi-circularshaped portion 53a is secured to the side 39g of the table in aconventional manner. The periphery of said shaped portion includes aplurality of bores 54. The leaf may be raised to any desired angle ofinclination and an elongated pin 55 inserted through a desired bore andinto a bore 56a in the end of the leaf. The pin may be inserted throughbore 54a whereby the upper surface 5% of leaf 50 is flush with the uppersurface of the table.

It is obvious, of course, that the lower end of the collar 48 may bearagainst the upper end of extension 25 and the member 27 secured at anydesired height by means of set screw 49. Set screw 26 may then beloosened whereby the table 39 is free to rotate in a horizontal plane.Furthermore, the adjustable table 20 is so constructed that it mayconveniently be disassembled for purposes of packing and transportation.

There is shown in FIG. 7 a modification of the invention which includesa disk 30 and table 39 constructed essentially as heretofore describedin connection with FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings. In FIG. 7 the disk 30 isshown secured to a frame 56 which includes front and back walls 56a-56b,respectively, separated by shelves 560 or the like. More specifically,frame 56 is supported by outwardly extending base portions 57 havingincorporated therein the casters of FIGS. 9-11, hereinafter to bedescribed. As best seen in FIG. 8, disk 30 is rotatablyconnected to theframe as by means of a bolt 31 passing through aligned bores 56a-1,5611-1 in the walls 56a, 5611. A washer 58 may be placed on said boltand a nut 59 or the like threaded thereon securing disk 30 to the frame.As heretofore described, the base portion 28a of an L-shaped bracket 28is secured in a conventional manner to the upper end of the frame in theapproximate center thereof. Horizontally aligned spacers 38 are securedto the inner surface of wall 56a in proximity to the edges of disk'30.As heretofore mentioned the table is maintained at any desired angle ofinclination by the weight of said table and the equipment placedthereon; such weight causes the upper, inner surface 30a of disk 30 tobear against material 29 while the lower, outer surface 30b of the diskbears against the spacers 38. A plurality of shelves 56c may beprovided, in a conventional manner, in the frame. In like manner, theupper end of the frame may be provided with cylindrical wells 56d; thelower, inner portion of the frame may include a larger storage space,access to which is provided by means of doors 60 hingedly mounted onwall 56a of said frame.

Referring now to FIGS. 9-11 of the drawings, there is shown a lockingdevice for casters whereby any desired caster may conveniently be lockedpreventing said caster from rotating. For purposes of convenience onlythe construction and operation of a single locking device will bedescribed. It is to be understood that any number of such lockingdevices may be incorporated into the base in the same manner. Aconventional yoke and caster wheel combination 61 may be secured to thelower surface 57b of the base 57 in a conventional manner. A pluralityof vertically-extending rods 62 (see FIG. 11) pass through correspondingbores 63 in the lower surface 57b, each of said rods are connected attheir lower end to an annular plate 64 and at their upper end to a plate65 containing a central bore 65a. Each of the rods 62 carry a helicalspring 66; the upper end of each of said springs bear against the lowersurface 65b of the plate while the lower end of each of said springsbear against the lower surface 57b. A circular foot plate 67 rests onplate 65, the foot plate 67 and the plate 65 when depressed insert intoan aperture 68 of slightly greater diameter than plates 65 and 67,respectively, which is provided in the upper surface 57a of the base.The foot plate 67 further includes a centrally positioned,downwardly-dcpending shaft 69 terminating at its lower end in ahorizontally-extending, rectangularly-shaped bar 70. An invertedU-shaped member 71 is secured to the base 57b in a conventional manner;the upper surface of member 71 includes a rectangularly-shaped slot 71aof slightly greater length and width, respectively, than bar 70. As seenin FIG. 9 of the drawings, the longitudinal axis of said bar 70 isparallel to the longitudinal axis of said slot 71a whereby the bar 70,when depressed, aligns with and passes through slot 710'. The individualusing such device may then rotate said plate 67 in either direction (seeFIG. whereby the bar 70 is turned across said slot 71a, locking the footplate 67 in position. It is evident that when the foot of the userdepresses plate 67 the lower surface thereof bears against plate 65causing the annular plate 64 to be depressed. The sides 64a of theannulus of said plate 64 bear against one or more edges of the casterpreventing movement thereof.

It is to be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relatesto only preferred embodiments of the invention and that it is intendedto cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the inventionherein chosen for the purposes of the disclosure, which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

11. A rotatable table comprising a base, a vertical support mounted onsaid base, an L-shaped member secured .to said vertical support, africtional element secured to said L-shaped member, a disk rotatablymounted on said vertical support, a cross bar secured to said verticalsupport, a plurality of frictional elements secured to the outermostportions of said cross bar, a table secured to said disk, means securedin said table, said means including a channel having top, bottom andside Wall portions, an elongated slot in the top thereof, a sphericalmember positioned in said channel, a flexible member secured to saidspherical member, said flexible member extending through said elongatedslot.

2. A rotatable table comprising a base, a vertical sup port mounted onsaid base, an L-shaped member secured to said vertical support, africtional element secured to said L-shaped member, a disk rotatablymounted on said vertical support, a cross bar secured to said verticalsupport, a plurality of frictional elements secured to the outermostportions of said cross bar, a table secured to said disk, said tableincluding a recessed portion, a leaf hingedly connected to said tableand mounted in said recessed portion, shaped means secured to saidtable, said shaped means including a plurality'of bores, a bore in aside of said leaf aligned with respect to said plurality of bores, and apin inserted through a selected bore of said plurality of bores and intothe bore in said leaf.

3. A rotatable table comprising a base, a first collar secured to saidbase, a vertical support inserted into and secured to said first collar,a second collar secured to said vertical support, storage meanspositioned on said vertical support and supported by said second collar,an L-shaped member secured to said vertical support, a gripping elementsecured to said L-shaped member, a cross bar secured to said verticalsupport, gripping means secured to said cross bar in proximity to theends thereof, a disk rotatably mounted on said vertical support, and atable mounted perpendicularly to said disk.

4. A rotatable table comprising a base, a vertical support mounted onsaid base, gripping means secured to said vertical support, a diskrotatably mounted on said vertical support, a cross bar secured to saidvertical support, a plurality of additional gripping means secured tosaid cross bar, a table mounted on said disk, said table having firstand second surfaces, means secured in said first surface, said meansincluding a channel having top, bottom and side wall portions, anelongated slot in the top surface thereof, a spherical member positionedin said channel, a flexible member secured to said spherical member,said flexible member extending through said elongated slot, and acomposition material secured to and covering said second surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 387,453 8/1888Schubert 108-8 529,210 11/1894 Henni et a1 108-8 672,573 4/1901 Sidway108-8 745,160 11/1903 Cummings 108-8 976,759 11/1910 Weingaer'ther 108-87 1,079,487 11/1913 Hasenzahl 108-8 1,117,062 11/1914 Lahedzki 108-81,916,537 7/1933 Smith 108-8 2,681,840 6/1954 Miller 108-8 2,846,7618/1958 Evans 108-8 X 2,951,258 9/1960 Brooks et a1. 16-35 2,972,1632/1961 .Ross et a1 16-35 2,980,944 4/1961 Bolinger 16-35 2,996,3108/1961 Culver 16-35 X 3,061,049 10/1962 Bramiley 16-35 X FRANK B.SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

1. A ROTATABLE TABLE COMPRISING A BASE, A VERTICAL SUPPORT MOUNTED ONSAID BASE, AN L-SHAPED MEMBER SECURED TO SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT, AFRICTIONAL ELEMENT SECURED TO SAID L-SHAPED MEMBER, A DISK ROTATABLYMOUNTED ON SAID VERTICAL SUPPORT, A CROSS BAR SECURED TO SAID VERTICALSUPPORT, A PLURALITY OF FRICTIONAL ELEMENTS SECURED TO THE OUTERMOSTPORTIONS OF SAID CROSS BAR, A TABLE SECURED TO SAID DISK, MEANS SECUREDIN SAID TABLE, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A CHANNEL HAVING TOP, BOTTOM ANDSIDE WALL PORTIONS, AN ELONGATED SLOT IN THE TOP THEREOF, A SPHERICALMEMBER POSITIONED IN SAID CHANNEL, A FLEXIBLE MEMBER SECURED TO SAIDSPHERICAL MEMBER, SAID FLEXIBLE MEMBER EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ELONGATEDSLOT.